News

Student Job Opening within Lecture Demonstration

Thursday, December 1, 2016

The Physics Department lecture demonstration office (one of the largest in the nation) is looking for a fun, energetic, and loyal student with that “creative edge”: someone with a background in the physical sciences or within physics itself, someone interested to learn more about physics, physics demonstrations, and audio/video equipment. Initially for 10 hours per week, with the possibility for more hours. Freshmen are welcome and encouraged to apply. Work-study are welcome to apply. Work trial period of one semester, with the possibility of continuation throughout the summer and into following year(s).

Job Requirements:

Some general physics knowledge is a plus.

Have a desire to learn more about physics and audio-visual equipment

Must have a working knowledge of hand tools and/or willing to learn

Be able to listen and follow instructions, but also present alternative solutions to problems.

Be able to work both independently and as a team.

Able to work during most of the summer months.

Able to work on Fridays from 3pm-4:30pm

Working knowledge of Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and other microcontrollers would be awesome.

Able to lift and move equipment (35-50lbs)

Job Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

Assist in the digitally record our weekly departmental colloquia on Friday afternoons and other lectures, and digital editing.

Assist with the physics museum and our annual physics demo shows.

Assist with researching and archiving of lecture demonstration equipment, including making and repairing equipment, fixing cabinets, data entry, labeling, and much more.

The American Physical Society (APS) Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics (CUWiP) series is a series of regional conferences held simultaneously around the United States for undergraduate women interested in physics. The CUWiP conference series aims to encourage undergraduate women to pursue careers in physics by giving them the experience of a professional conference. This includes networking with women in physics of all ages and professional levels, plenary talks by prominent women in physics, and panel discussions providing information about graduate school and career opportunities in physics.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison CUWiP will feature presentations by female physicists in academia and industry, panel discussions about graduate school and careers in academia and industry, laboratory tours, a student poster session, and opportunities to network with accomplished women in the field.

Mark Eriksson grant lead on project to get UW getting electron beam lithography system for nanotech research

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Research projects statewide, from electronics to optics and medicine, are set to benefit from a new system coming to UW–Madison that will use electron beam lithography (EBL), a specialized technique for creating extremely fine patterns — in some cases more than 5,000 times narrower than the diameter of a human hair.

The Physics Department occasionally sends announcements to undergraduate physics majors about opportunities for those with an interest in physics. Now, those who have not declared a physics major can subscribe to receive such announcements. Those who have declared a major will continue to receive announcements and do not need to self-subscribe.

Assistant Professor Kim Palladino joined the department last year to bolster Wisconsin LZ experiment involvement last year. Prof. Palladino secured the support of the US DOE promptly last year, while she was on research leave at SLAC to lead the construction and commissioning of the LZ test system at SLAC laboratory, with graduate student Shaun Alsum. PSL engineer Jeff Cherwinka serves as the chief engineer of the LZ experiment. Professors Carlsmith and Dasu also participate in this unprecedented search for direct interactions of weakly interacting massive particles with Xenon atoms that make up the LZ.

Prof. Dan McCammon is being awarded a 2016 NASA Exceptional Public Service Achievement Medal in recognition for pioneering work in the study of the celestial diffuse x-ray background and the development of low temperature x-ray spectrometers that have enabled numerous NASA projects.

This award was presented to Dan at the Agency Honor Awards Ceremony, September 14, at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.

Zweibel wins 2016 Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Ellen Gould Zweibel has won the American Physical Society’s 2016 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics.

The prize citation recognizes Zweibel for “seminal research on the energetics, stability and dynamics of astrophysical plasmas, including those related to stars and galaxies, and for leadership in linking plasma and other astrophysical phenomena.”

Members of the Department of Physics Board of Visitors Robert Leach, Gregory Piefer, Thomas Dillinger, Lloyd Hackel, and Craig Heberer (left to right) on an imagined trip in the frame of the Badgerloop pod prototype under construction in Chamberlin Hall, 6 May 2016.

Alexander 'AJ' Carver, (BS '06 physics and astronomy-physics), recently became an assistant professor at SolBridge International School of Business, Daejeon, South Korea where he teaches courses in quantitative methods and critical thinking.